Machine for preparing food.



H. D. PERKYq, MACHINE FOR PREPARING P001].

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, 1900.

El] l I PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905.

9 BHBETSSHEBT 1.

witnesses l g s or-neg umaiw. n. 6mm: co. Puowumocmwnm msmucmu n c No.797,604. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905. H. D. PERKY.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.10, 1900.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2 s i mq (Z W QM i mnaaw a cmvm cu wom umocmwms. wasmcnmu c No- 797,604. PATENTBD AUG. 22, 1905. H. D. PERKY.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

APPLICATION FILED 1030.10, 1900.

9 BHEBTS-SHEET 3.

witnesses PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905.

H. D. PERKY.

MAGHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

APPLICATION FILED DEOJO, 1900.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Inventor Zl/ifhesses EATENTED AUG. 22, 1905.

N0. 79mm.

H. D. PERKY. MACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.10, 1900.

b Inventor 160m .3. few/r witnesses PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905.

H. D. PERKY.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, 1900.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

u ZW my M 3 m v n I m W.

witness es {kiwi No 797,604. PATBNTBD AUG. 22, 1905. H, D. PBRKY.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD Ammonia! mun 1120.10, 1900.

9 SHEETS-$811121 7.

witnesses Ina/mug a M J r r his fitter/my No 797,604. PATENTED AUG. 22,1905.

- H. D. PERKY.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

APPLICATION FILED 1120.10, 1900.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

l witnesses Invenior (ZN 2 a zdu'dmb monzw a mun co mmuumoumvuma.msmud'mu. u c.

No. 797,004. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905,

' H. 1). PERKY. I MACHINE FOR PREPARING r0012.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.10. 1900.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

Witnesses d6 Ingnt% 17 Z5 his Jilbrn 63/.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATURAL FOOD COMPANY, PORATION OF NEWV YORK.

OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A COR- IVIACHINE FOR PREPARING FOOD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Application filed December 10, 1900. Serial No. 39,385.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY D. PERKY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Machinesfor Preparing Food; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the invention, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of one end portion of the oven, showing thefeed-opening. Fig. 2 is a side view of the other end portion of theoven. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the portion of the ovenin which the feed is located. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section throughthe extended portion of the oven in which the heat is mainly applied.Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the feed-opening. Fig. 6 is aplan view of the electric cutoff. Fig. 7 is a back view of one of theheaters or stove-sections, comprising a receiving stove-link and acovering stove-link, partly shown. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the endportions of the link-plates, showing the engagement thereof. Fig. 9 is atransverse section of a stove-section, comprising a receiving stove-linkand a covering stove-link. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the inside ofa stove and its wiring. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section of the same.Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a pneumatic transfer for the discharge.Fig. 13 is an end view of the same. Fig. 14 is a sectional plan viewshowing the features of the baking mechanism and pneumatic feed.

The object of the invention is to provide means for preparing from grainor other material in a continuous and rapid manner and in largequantities biscuit, crackers, and other articles of food; and theinvention consists in the novel construction and combinations ofdevices, as hereinafter set forth.

In explaining the invention I have designed to set forth moreparticularly its application to the preparation of food from grain,having especial relation to the libered,filamentous, or shredded form ofthe reduced grain; but it Will be apparent that by varying the faces ofthe stoves in an appropriate manner the invention may be more generallyapplied. So,

also, 1 have described a mode of heating the stoves by electricity, asit is preferred; but other means of heating may be used.

In the accompanying drawings the letter A designates framework, usuallyof iron. B represents the oven wall or casing. O indicates a continuousfeed; D, a pneumatic transfer for the feed; E, the continuous bakingdevices; F, the oven, which is of elongated form; G, the heatingdevices; H, a transfer device for the discharge; K, the conveyer ordischarge for the baked biscuit or crackers.

The reducing devices may be of any known character; but I usually employa series of grooved reducing-rolls, which shred the grain or crush itinto fibrous or filamentous form, as described in Letters Patent No.571,284, dated November 10, 1896.

The material is received upon the continuous trough-chain O, which iscomposed of trough-links, which move upon guideways or track-bars, saidchain being carried by sprocket-wheels, of which the inner one isindicated at c.

C represents the lower chain of cutterlinks, and D the upper chain ofcutter-links, which are also suction links, being open through orprovided with a passage for the application of air-pressure. The lowerchain of cutter-links is carried by sprocket-wheels, as indicated' atc". The upper chain of suction-links is also carried by sprocket-wheels,(indicated at d.) The upper chain D and the lower chain O are providedwith cutter blades or knives c, which are arranged at intervalscorresponding to the length of a chain section or width of thebaking-band. Suitable trackways are provided in the framing for thelinks of the chains D and O".

The wall of the oven is suitably packed or lined with asbestos or othernon-conductor of heat. The oven is of elongated form and, as shown inthe drawings, extends at right angles to the direction of the feed.vided with an opening at f in the side near one end for the passage ofthe end of the feeding-chain D of suction-links, this constituting withthe chain of trough-links a continuous feed, whereby the material isbrought into the oven over the bakingirons or stoves. As

It is pro' the trough-chain does not extend into the oven, a pneumaticdevice is provided to hold the material to the open or suction links,which are faced with wirecloth, until it reaches position over thestoves or bakingirons. The pneumatic device consists of an air-chamberd, to which is connected a suction-fan or exhaust by means of a pipe d.The air-chamber is provided along its lower or mouth portion with avalve, or preferably with valves, Q), which are operated by cam deviceson a shaft v to apply the air-pressure progressively as a section of thematerial is moving into position, when the cam devices operatesimultaneously to close the valves in order to effect its deposit on thestove-link. For a further description of the feed and pneumatic transferdevices reference may be had to Letters Patent No. 681,656, dated August27, 1901, in which I have explained the construction more at length.

The oven F, as hereinbefore mentioned, extends at right angles to thedirection of the feed, the lateral opening f for which is much nearerone end of the oven than it is the other. At one end of the oven areprovided sprocketwheels V for the endless outer baking band or chain Eof receiving stove-links a, and at the other end of the oven are thesprocketwheels V for the inner baking-chain 'E of covering stove-links6. Near and at one side .of the opening f is provided a drive-shaft,

carrying sprocket-wheels V for the inner end of said baking-band orcovering-chain E. In this construction, therefore, one of thebaking-chains runs inside the other chain, which is longer than thefirst or inner chain and is uncovered in that portion of the oven wherethe feed is located, thereby forming an extension-loop for the insidefeed or discharge. The covering stove-links are brought down intoposition on the receiving stove-links of the larger chain by the wheelsV at one side of the feed. From this point the inner and outerstove-links continue together to the end of the oven and back toposition at the side of the feed, where the discharge of the bakedbiscuit or crackers takes place.

Each chain consists of stove-links which are pivoted to each other, thepivotal axis or axis of bend of adjacent links being coincident or inline with the adjacent or meeting edges of the working or baking facesof the stoves and in the plane of such baking-faces.

The outer or receiving stove-link e and the inner or covering stove-linkc" constitute a stove-section, the parts of which must have an accuratefit in the movements, and to this end one chain, preferably the innerchain,'is that which engages the sprocket-wheels of the drivingshaft (4,while the outer chain is driven by the engagement of its links withthose of the inner or driving chain. For this purpose each link of theinner chain is formed with arc-shaped shoulders or projections Z) toengage correspondingly-curved shoulders or projections Z) of the out-erstove-link. The stove-section thus formed of a receiving or outer stovelink and a covering or inner stove-link is made of proper length to takein a section of biscuit or cracker material as deposited by the feed.The outer and inner stove-links are each provided withantifriction-rollers (indicated at e) which run on suitable tracks orways f of the oven. As these links are designed to have the samepitch-line, their tracks are arranged side by side and their bodyportions are formed with bent or angular arms 0', the hearings orrollers of which are axially flush with the faces of the stoves andaxially in line with the edges of such faces, interference being avoidedby making the arms of one link longer than those of the other. In orderto allow for expansion and contraction of the outer chain, each link isprovided with a slightly elongated or enlarged opening for theconnecting -pin. This construction keeps the working or baking faces ofadjacent stoves together at their pivotal edges in moving around thecurves, so that the tendency to rupture the material carried thereby isreduced to a minimum. The pivotal axis of the stoves lie in thebakingplane or plane of the baking-faces.

At one end of the oven an automatic takeup or tension is provided forthe chain of stove-sections. This consists of a swinging shaft J,carrying the end sprocket-wheels V and being journaled in bearings inthe vertical arms of the angle-levers J, whose hori- Zontal arms areprovided with adjustable weights J The movement of the bakingchain isslow and is communicated by means of a worm and a worm-wheel, asindicated at I.

The oven and stoves are preferably heated by means of electricity. Tothis end, the oven is provided with outer parallel bus-bars orcontact-bars Gr G and with inner parallel contact-bars G, These contactconductor-bars are laterally arranged and parallel and are connected atconvenient points to the source of supply. The contact-bars are alsoparallel to the baking-chains, and on one side the bars may be regardedas positive, the bars on the other side being negative.

It is designed that each stove or bakingiron shall take its heatingcharge independently in order to facilitate the replacement and repairof parts without undue interference with the baking operation of themachine. Contact is made with these bus-bars by means of thespring-brushes'g, which are so bent or formed that their contact endswill be in the middle or radial plane of each stove-link, this being themost accurate and economical construction for running the curves of thebus-bars. Usually the contact-brush is formed of two leaves, oneextending a little 1 beyond the end of the other, so that the breakstions or contact-sections z .2-

-bar by the intervals or breaks 9'.

the link connections, as at Z.

made in the current at the cutoff intervals g g of the contact-bar Gwill not be so pronounced as to cause injurious sparking.

The contact-bars G and G for the outer chain of the stovelinks are notusually extended around the feed end of the oven, as it is designed tocut off the electric action in this portion of the chain, where a bakingheat is not needed. The contact-bars G for the inner chain are, however,continuous, and this chain is for nearly its entire length in bakingposition.

To reduce the electric action in the stovelinks gradually and finallycut it ofi, a series of gradually-increasing resistances Z Z Z isemployed between the body portion of the contact-bar G and its severalseparated porsf, which are separated from each other and from the mainAs the brushes of the stove-links pass over this portion the current,taken off gradually by the several resistances in succession, will bedropped in each stove-link by degrees and finally to Zero.

The outer and inner stove-links may be similar to each other, the longerroller-carrying arms of one link, however, extending beyond orencompassing the roller-carrying arms of the other link. Each linkconsists, according to the construction illustrated, of an elongatedbody portion or plate L, having a middle projection or rib Z extendingalong its back, the plane of such projections or rib being radial withreference to its movement around the sprocket-wheels. The end arms orextensions of the rib are expanded to form In proper position withrelation to each contact-bar is provided in the rib an opening orperforation Z",

in which is seated a non-conducting bushing 412, which is secured inposition by and forms a bearing for the short conductor bolt or pin on,whereby the spring-brush g is also secured in position.

To the body-plate at each side of the rib Z are connected detachableinsulation strips or blocks a, preferably of porcelain, between whichare seated the conducting-wires p 12 of the link, one wire serving forthe entrance of the currentand the other for its exit, or the wires willserve in connection with the alternating current. These wires areconnected to theirrespective brushes 9 g by small flexible wires 1) p,and from these same wires 3) 19, respectively, small terminal Wires 0 ppass to the stove-\virings w of each stove or bakingiron through thelava plugs g, which are tapering in form and are seated in beveledopenings q in the body-plates at the sides of the middle rib, theseplugs being held in position by the porcelain strips a when used. A

The detachable stoves or baking-irons S are arranged in series along thebodyplates transversely to the line of movement of the chain. Each stoveconsists of a rectangular casting, usually hollow or recessed in itsouter portion or back, but having its inner or baking face formed tocorrespond with that of its follow stove. The preferred construction isto form the baking-face with a surface distribw tion of pointed studs orprojections designed to penetrate the material being cooked and carrythe heat into deeper portions. These stoves or baking-irons are providedwith dividing plates or knives, (indicated at s,) which serve to indentor separate the material deposited on the stove-link into parts ofconvenient size to form crackers or biscuit.

The side walls or flanges of the inner stoves are of inclined formationor beveled, so that they will conform to each other in passing round thesprocket-wheels. On the floor or back of the baking-w all of the recessor cham ber of the stove is laid insulating material orinsulating-paint, on which is placed the distribution of fine wiring 20required for the heating, this wiring being covered in by another layerof insulating material or paint. When each stove-Wiring is independentlyconnected or connected in parallel with the other stove-wirings to thelink conductors pp, each stove is arranged for independent heating andmay be detached without interfering with the other stoves. -The recessesof the stoves are covered in. with the link plate or body, to which thestoves are secured by means of short bolts or connections 1', and inthis man ner the interior delicate wiring and insulation are effectuallyprotected and additional insulation of air is provided.

To arrange for the clearance and discharge of the crackers or otherproduct after baking, a lateral opening in the oven-wall is arrangednear the location of the feed-opening, or the feed-opening f may be madeof sufficient size to accommodate the end of the conveyer K, whichextends from this location of its receiving end within the oven outwardtherefrom in a direction at right angles to the length of said even.Leading to this conveyer is a guide or slide way T, which extends in aninclined or curved inanner downward and from the faces of the stoves ofthe inner or shorter baking-chains as they pass around the upper partsof the inner sprocket-wheels This guide or slide way is provided with anadjustable comb or clearing device T, having for use in connection witha studded baking-iron, such as has been before described, fingers 6,designed to enter between the teeth or projections of the faces of thestoves. By

such means as the stoves move around the wheel the biscuit or crackerswill be loosened and guided off the stoves to the slideway, on whichthey will descend to a stop rib or flange t.

Above the clearing deviceor comb T is provided another clearer 2f, whichis designed to loosen the biscuit or crackers which may adhere to thestoves of the longer or outer chain and cause the same to fall upon theslideway T, above referred to.

The lower portion of the slideway T is located above and at the sides ofthe conveyer, and both are arranged at about the same radial distancefrom a shaft a, which carries a suction-head U, having awire-cloth-covered mouth '11.. This suction-head is connected to anair-exhaust by means of a curved pipe or otherwise. Suitable mechanismis employed to give this suction-head vibratory motion, its movementbeing quadrantal or through an arc of about seventy degrees. When it isturned toward the slideway T, the suction causes the crackers to adhereto the wirecloth-covered mouth, whereby on the reverse movement of thehead the crackers are carried over the conveyer, whereon they aredropped as the air-valve of the suction or exhaust is closed. In thedrawings the exhaustpipe is indicated at U, the end of the suction-headU bearing in the end of said pipe, the latter carrying the cut-off valveor damper U, whose journal is provided with a pulley it". On the end ofthe suction-head shaft is provided a crank-arm h, which is connected bya pitman h with an eccentric H on the shaft u, the rotation of whichcauses a proper vibration of the suction-head. To move the air-valve ordamper U, springs 70 k may be employed in connection with the cross-heador wheel it", which is provided with an arm or catch 0 to engage thetrip and holding lever K, which is vibrated by means of a wheel 0 on thesuction-head shaft a. The lever K has the trip-arms 7c 5, whichrespectively engage the catch of the damper, according to the positionin which it is thrown by the springs to open or close the airpipethat isto say, when the damper is opened the exhaust is on and thesuction-mouth applied to the material on the slideway T. The damper isheld in this position by engagement with one of the arms 7c of thetrip-lever. As the suctionhead moves back over the conveyer thetriplever is gradually moved until the damper is released from thetrip-arm which held it and is suddenly closed by the spring tension,this movement also serving to effect the engagement of the damper-catchwith the other triparm of the lever K. The damper is opened in a similarway by the reverse movement of the trip-lever. In order to protect thestovewirings from injury through short-circuiting or from otheraccidental increase of current, fuses are provided in the conductors p1), leading to the brushes, such fuses consisting usually of sections offine copper wire, or the conductor-wire 2 may constitute the fuse.

The pneumatic transfer to take the articles from the baking-chain linksand deposit them on the conveyer-belt may be dispensed with when thebaked biscuit or sections are crisp,

because they will then readily slide down the guideway to the belt. Inthis case the slideway T is constructed without ledges to stop thebiscuit or crackers.

It is not designed to confine this invention to the construction shownand described, as the stoves and other portions of the mechanism maybevaried in ways known to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe principles involved.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. A machine for preparing food consisting of a series of movingbaking-stoves, conduction devices attached to each stove, independentconductors in connection with the conduc tion devices of each stove, andan electricsupply conductor common to such independent conductors,substantially as specified.

2. In a machine for preparing food, the combination with an endlessseries of moving baking-stoves, of conduction devices attached to eachstove, moving conductors for supplying said conduction devices withelectricity, and a fixed conductor common to said moving conductors,substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a body-plate, of a series of detachable stovesor baking-irons, cutting-plates, and means of attachment of said stovesand plates to said body-plates, substantially as specified.

4:. An endless chain of link-plates, pivoted to each other, and atransverse series of detachable stoves or baking-irons, attached to eachlink-plate, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with an inner chain of stove-links, of an outer chainof stove-links engaging said inner chain, and extending beyond the sameto form a reception-loop for the1 feed and discharge, substantially asspecifie i 6. The combination with an endless covering baking-chain, ofa longer endless receiving baking-chain having an extension for the feedbeyond the shorter covering bakingchain, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with an endless inner baking-band, of an endlessouter baking-band, having an extension beyond said inner bakingband forthe feed, substantially as specified.

8. A stove-link plate having a back rib or projection extendinglengthwise, and provided with expanded link-connection-bearing arms atits ends, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with side-by-side track- Ways of a receivingstove-plate and a covering stove-plate having bearing-arms of unequallength for such trackways, substantially as specified.

10. A link-plate having a series of detachable stoves connected thereto,and provided at its ends with link connections, and bearings axiallyflush with the faces of said stoves, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with an elongated linkplate of a series ofindependent detachable stoves attached to said plate, and independentwiring for electricheating connected to each stove, substantially asspecified.

12. An elongated heater-plate, having a back rib or projectionscarryinginsulated conductors, insulated conductors extending along saidplate, detachable stoves, connected to said plate, insulated wiring forsaid stoves, and conductor-wires extending from said wiring to theconductors extending along said plate, substantially as specified.

13. An elongated plate, having a back rib or projection, insulatedconductors attached thereto, detachable insulation. on each side of saidrib or projection, conductors carried by such detachable insulation,stoves connected to the plate, insulated wiring on said stoves, andindependent connecting-wires from such wiring to the conductors carriedby said detachable insulation, substantially as specified.

14:. In a machine for preparing food, the combination withadriving-wheel, and an endless driving-chain of baking-stoves engagingsaid drivingwheel, an endless driven chain of opposite baking-stoves,and means of engagement between the opposite stove-links of the drivenchain, and driving-chain, substantially as specified.

15. In a continuous baking-machine, the combination with an endlessouter or receiving chain of stove-links, of an endless inner or coveringchain, of stove-links, sprocketwheels, and automatic devices to allowfor the expansion and contraction of such chains, substantially asspecified.

16. In a continuous baking-machine, the combination with the endlessouter or receiving chain of stove-links, and the sprocket wheels, of theendless inner or covering chain of stove-links, and engaging devices ofthe latter, whereby the outer or receiving chain of stove-links isdriven, substantially as specified.

17. The combination with a continuous pneumatic feed of a continuousbaking device extending at right angles to the line of movement of suchfeed, substantially as specified.

18. The combination with an endless baking-band of acontinuous pneumaticfeed, substantially as specified.

19. The combination with an elongated oven, having a lateral opening forthe feed, and trackways, of an endless outer receiving baking-band, ashorter endless inner or covering baking-band, and means for heating,substantially as specified.

20. The combination with an elongated oven, having an opening for thefeed and trackways, of a long endless outer or receiving chain ofstove-links, a shorter endless inner or covering chain of stove-links,and means for heating, substantially as specified.

21. The combination with an oven, having a lateral opening for the feed,and side-by-side trackways, of a long endless outer chain ofstove-links, and a shorter endless chain of stove-links, having the samepitch-line, sprocket-wheels for such chains, and means for heating,substantially as specified.

22. The combination with an elongated oven, having a feed-opening, of afeed and a discharge at right angles to the length of the oven, aclearing-slideway, an endless outer or receiving baking-chain, a shorterendless inner or covering baking-chain, and trackways for said chains,substantially as specified.

23. The combination with a long endless outer baking-band, of a shorterendless inner baking-band, clearing devices for such bands, and feedingand discharging devices extending within the loop of the outer band, andat right angles to the length thereof, substantially as specified.

24. The combination with an oven, and an endless baking-band, of thewiring of such band, the contact-bars extending parallel to such band,and the contact-brushes, substantially as specified.

25. The combination with an oven, its trackways, and contact-bars, ofthe endless chains of stove-links, the link conductors, the series ofstoves or baking-irons connected to said links, the Wiring of saidstoves, and the springbrushes adapted to engage the contact-bars,substantially as specified.

'26. In a baking-machine, the combination with an endless feed, of anendless bakingchain, and conducting devices for the application ofelectricity to said baking-chain, substantially as specified.

27. In a baking-machine, the combination with endless-motion carryingdevices of endless-motion feeding devices, and stoves or heatersconnected to said carrying devices, and means for heating the same,substantially as specified.

28. The combination with endless sectional baking mechanism, of anendless pneumatic feed, and an automatic discharge, substantially asspecified.

29. In a machine for preparing food, the combination with a continuousfeed and endless baking-bands moving at right angles to the direction ofthe feed, or baking thematerial in sections, means for indenting thematerial and locking the same together at points to secure compactnesswith lightness of structure, and means for discharging the baked productupon a conveyer, substantially as specified.

30. A continuous baking-machine, comprising an endless chain ofbaking-links upon which the material is received, an endless chain ofbaking-links adapted to cover in the material upon the links of thefirst chain, means of engagement, whereby the links of the twobaking-chains are run in exact relation to each other, and means forheating the baking-chains, substantially as specified.

31. A machine for preparing food, comprising two endless chains oflinks, and means of engagement between said chain's, bakingironsconnected to said links and wired for electric heating in connectionWith brushes of said links, conductor-bars, in contact with which thebrushes of the links move, and means for automatically cut-ting oil theelectric action where it is unnecessary, substantially as specified.

32. In a machine for preparing food, the combination With moving stoves,of the insulated fine wiring connected thereto, the electric conductorsextending parallel to the line of movement of such stoves, and themoving-

